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Consumer product recall

SolarWorld recalls Solar Systems with Copper Grounding Lugs

Starting date:
August 21, 2014
Posting date:
August 21, 2014
Type of communication:
Consumer Product Recall
Subcategory:
Specialized Products
Source of recall:
Health Canada
Issue:
Electrical Hazard, Fire Hazard
Audience:
General Public
Identification number:
RA-41103

Joint recall with Health Canada, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (US CPSC) and SolarWorld

Affected products

Solar Systems with copper grounding lugs

Product description

This recall includes SolarWorld solar systems installed with bare-copper grounding lugs installed after June 1, 2010. These solar systems use energy from the sun to generate electricity within a system circuit. The installation instructions for SolarWorld solar systems sold after June 1, 2010 called for the use of GBL-4DB lugs for grounding. SolarWorld has revised these installation instructions to explicitly call for tin-coated lugs, specifically Ilsco part number GBL-4DBT. “T” is for tin-coated and indicated by the silver color of the lug.

Hazard identified

SolarWorld solar panels installed with bare-copper grounding lugs can corrode which could result in a faulty ground circuit, posing an electric shock, electrocution or fire hazard.

SolarWorld has received one report of corrosion related to the bare-copper lugs in the United States.  No injuries have been reported.

Health Canada has not received any reports of consumer incidents or injuries related to the use of these solar panel lugs.

Number sold

Approximately 210,000 units of the product were sold in Canada and approximately 1.3 million units in the United States through SolarWorld installers and distributors or other distribution companies.

Time period sold

The recalled products were sold from June 2010 through June 2014 in Canada and the United States.

Place of origin

Manufactured in the United States.

Companies

Manufacturer
SolarWorld Americas LLC
Hillsboro
Oregon
UNITED STATES

Images (select thumbnail to enlarge - opens in a new window)


What you should do

Customers may be able to identify from the ground whether a tin-coated lug (silver) or a bare-copper lug (brown) has been used on their solar panels.  Consumers who can identify the improper lugs should contact SolarWorld for replacement. If customers cannot determine which grounding lugs were used, they should contact SolarWorld to have an authorized SolarWorld agent inspect the installation and replace the lugs with tin-coated grounding lugs or equally safe alternative remedy at no cost to consumers. SolarWorld is requesting that distributors and others remove SolarWorld's installation instructions dated before June 2014 from their websites or other commercial information sources.

For more information, consumers may contact SolarWorld by telephone toll-free at 1-877-360-1787 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, email or go to the SolarWorld's website and click on “Important Safety Announcement”.

Consumers may view the release by the US CPSC on the Commission's website.

Please note that the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act prohibits recalled products from being redistributed, sold or even given away in Canada.

Health Canada would like to remind Canadians to report any health or safety incidents related to the use of this product or any other consumer product or cosmetic by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.